How I Make My Tea Lattes
Ever since the beginning of 2020, Ive been slowly making my way through your blog post topic requests. In case youre just catching up, here are the reader requests Ive addressed on Peanut Butter Fingers so far this year:
- Marriage After Kids
- Fitness In My 20s vs Fitness In My 30s
- Week of Weeknight Dinners
- My Current Beauty Favorites
I love the fact that the blog posts youve requested to see on PBF this year are all over the place. Clearly you guys get how my brain works because Ive always loved chatting with you guys about all sorts of things and dont want to pigeonhole myself into any one specific genre. Sometimes I feel pressure to pick a niche and stick to it since that seems to be the trend with blogs and social media accounts these days but hopefully you guys enjoy seeing a variety of topics pop up in this space even though sometimes it may seem like ya never know what youre going to get around here! Of course if youre a longtime reader, you are probably more than used to this by now!
For todays bog post, I wanted to provide you guys with step-by-step instructions detailing how I made my tea lattes. Pretty much the second it finally felt like fall in North Carolina, I found myself reaching for a hot beverage in the afternoon and more often than not, it looked like a cup of hot cocoa or a warm tea latte. I love the way tea lattes lend themselves to a myriad of flavors so I never seem to get sick of them. I have an entire drawer in our kitchen dedicated to different kinds of tea and definitely love a variety.
Also, I warned you guys that my tea latte process is incredibly simple but I still had a bunch of you request a breakdown so lets get to it. Hopefully this will help those of you who have never made a tea latte before give it a try and fall in love!
How I Make My Tea Lattes
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Step One:Make a smaller-than-usual cup of strongly-brewed tea
You know the typical amount of water you use when you make a cup of tea? Id use about 2/3 the amount of water you typically use when you make your cup of tea so the tea is extra strong. For me, this typically looks like 6 ounces of water for one tea bag, depending on the strength of the tea. Steep the tea for the amount of time noted on the box instructions. You dont want to steep it any longer because it will often become bitter. Using less water will help you brew a stronger cup of tea versus letting the tea bag sit in your hot water for all the days.
I also LOVE using an electric kettle to warm my water for my tea. This stainless steel electric kettleis amazing as it includes five temperature presets for three different kinds of tea, coffee and boiling water.
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Step Two: Make your frothy milk while your tea steeps
No, you do not need a milk frother to make a tea latte (warmed milk also works) but as someone who likes lattes with LOTS of foam, it makes a HUGE difference. There are so many frothers out there at a variety of price points so I highly recommend adding one to your kitchen collection if youre a latte fan! Ive used inexpensive handheld frothers and loved them and currently use an electric frother that heats and froths the milk simultaneously that Ive been obsessed with for a while now. (My frother was only $25 by Mixpresso and though my specific model seems to be discontinued, this looks like the most recent model.) There are SO many options out there, so ask around and do a little research to see which one is right for you.
Also, for me, I find that whole milk and coconut milk (from a can!!) produce the best foam so Ive been almost exclusively making my coffee and tea lattes with coconut milk or whole milk for a while now.
As for the amount of milk you want in your latte, thats a personal preference thing but I love a creamy latte, so Im all about a lot of milk! I froth about 1/2 cup of milk for my lattes which I realize may be more than most people like, so I recommend beginning with 1/4 cup and working your way up if you find yourself desiring a creamier latte with more foam.
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Step Three: Remove the tea bag and stir in desired sweetener
Note: I do NOT like sweet tea. This is southern blasphemy, I know, but it has never been my thing. If you do like your tea lattes sweet, add your sweetener of choice now (honey, sugar, agave, stevia, maple syrup, etc.) before its time to add your milk.
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Step Four: Pour frothy milk on top of hot tea and lightly stir
This is my favorite part! Watching the creamy milk blend into my tea and then giving my latte a light stir before taking that first delicious sip is the best!
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Step Five: Top with cinnamon if desired, sip and enjoy!
As for the types of tea I love using in my tea lattes, Im a little bit all over the place. Here are a few of my personal favorites with some brief explanations as to why I love them so much:
- Tazo Organic Baked Cinnamon Apple: Like apple pie in a cup! Fragrant with the perfect hint of apple and cinnamon.
- Numi Organic Roobios Tea: I fell in love with roobios tea when I was pregnant and avoiding caffeine, as its perfectly safe for pregnant women to consume and high in antioxidants. Plus, it is supposedly calming as well as anti-inflammatory and helps with digestion. I never get sick of this tea and love the hint of vanilla flavor.
- Yogi Organic Egyptian Licorice Mint / Pukka Organic Peppermint & Licorice:Theres something about the refreshing flavor of mint paired with the deep, rich flavor of licorice. The bold flavor of this tea holds up well against creamy milk in tea latte and is one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations.
- Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Spice:I look forward to this holiday tea all year! It has a mellow gingerbread flavor I adore.
- Winter Dream Tea: This tea is a heavenly blend of roobios, orange peel, licorice, cinnamon and cloves. It has a lightly sweet flavor and is perfect for warming me up on a chilly afternoon!
Question of the Day
- Do you make tea lattes? If so, do you have any tips or tricks you implement when you make your lattes that youd like to share?
- What is your favorite kind of tea?
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